Stay safe in our forests this winter

Are you planning to visit any of our forests? It’s important to always follow our safety signage and prepare in advance. This is particularly important in the winter when the weather impacts forest conditions. 

It’s also important to follow basic safety and know where to report any issues you encounter. This helps you keep yourself safe and helps us maintain the forests for all of our visitors.

Follow our safety signs

It’s important to always observe signage when visiting our forests. These will give you information about any closures or diversions. Winter storms can sometimes result in windblow which may mean we need to restrict access to visitors until damage has been cleared-up. If you venture into our forests before this work has finished you risk your personal safety.

Prepare in advance

We always recommend checking the latest forest information in advance on our website. You can look up individual forests as well as information about other forests nearby. These are updated regularly with forest notices providing information on maintenance works and restrictions. 

Preparing in advance means you won’t waste your time by travelling to a forest where trails are badly affected and off limits. It also means you can look up alternative options if changing conditions mean you have to change your plans at the last minute. If you plan to visit any bike shops, cafes or recreation providers we recommend contacting them separately for up to date opening times.

Stay safe in our forests

Conditions can change rapidly in adverse weather conditions so it’s important to follow basic safety precautions. If a path or trail is blocked please turn away - do not walk around, climb over or duck under fallen trees. If a trail is open and work is taking place, stay well back to allow our foresters to work safely. Also remember to wear appropriate clothing for the weather and keep an eye out for everyone in your group.

Are you planning any activities in our forests? There are some extra precautions you need to consider. Learn more about the forest cycling code here; and read about walking trail gradings here.

Report a problem

Have you spotted issues with any of our trails? There are contact details on the information boards where you can report these problems. You can also find the contact details for each region on the forest pages on our website. Reporting these problems helps us inform other visitors and keep the forests safe.